Six of Madonna's Most Controversial Moments, For the Super Bowl's Consideration

​Since the appearance of Janet Jackson's nipple in 2004, the Super Bowl halftime show has taken it easy with a steady stream of harmless acts, ranging from the rarely controversial Paul McCartney to the hyperactive, now-hiatused Black Eyed Peas.

You can't blame them. After millions of children saw their first star-studded nipple, cracking down seems like the way to go. And sure, Prince totally looked like he was humping his guitar behind a curtain in 2007, but that's just small beans in comparison to "nipplegate."

Just two days after rumors spread that Madonna might be playing the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, her very own nip slip pictures were leaked from a 2008 photo shoot with W Magazine.

Plenty have dubbed the photos "unflattering," but shit! This is a 53-year-old woman and taking that into consideration, she looks pretty damn good.

Madonna is still inciting her fair share of controversy, and the world loves her for it. But it does make the faux-Brit a potential risk for the Super Bowl. She's known for pulling some stunts, and here are six of her most controversial moments.

Hydrangeas

Many women have a favorite flower, but it takes a pop superstar to despise one. A fan gives Madonna a gorgeous bunch of hydrangeas, and she responds thusly. Oh, Madge!

Her 1984 performance at the MTV Video Music Awards

It's tough to imagine now, but this performance was wacky and blatantly sexual in 1984. The lyrics to "Like a Virgin" are still pretty risqué, but it was already a huge hit at the time. It gave the public some time to become desensitized to it. So, to bring back the wack factor, she decided to simulate sex for the second portion of her VMA performance.

Mac session with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 VMAs

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In 2003, Britney Spears reigned as the world's pop queen, but Madonna wasn't about to allow her to have the crown. Nearly 20 years prior, Madonna burst onto the VMA stage with the most controversial performance the VMA's had ever seen (see above,) but by now Britney had pretty much made porn disguised as a music video. Naturally, the best way to prove your power is to come out during a Britney-Christina performance of your own song, then steal their power orally.

Playing Jesus on the 2006 Confessions Tour

Personally, I'm all for pushing the lines of what-is-and-isn't taboo, but I'm willing to bet the world's 2.2 million Christians aren't. So when Madonna is suspended from a glittery cross with a crown of thorns and "blood" dripping down her forehead, I can understand what the controversy is about. Basically, the way Madonna works is this: If you say she can't do it, she will.

Sex the book

Madonna hasn't exactly been shy about being naked over the years. It makes the stink about the W Magazine shoot seem pretty unnecessary. After all, she had an entire book of erotica called Sex, in which she pushed boundaries of religion and sexual taboo. I don't think you can check this one out at the library, but we hear there are some websites online that offer discrete shipping.

The Blond Ambition World Tour

The 1990 world tour was dubbed the "best tour of 1990" by Rolling Stone, but it also featured men in women's clothing and Madge's specialty simulated masturbation. The Pope called for a boycott of the show in Rome, so that's how you know it was good.